1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to irons and, more particularly, to an iron having an improved skirt.
2. Prior Art
Currently, irons produced by manufacturers who have the desire and/or need to have a metal/metalized looking skirt use what is known as a "shell" to achieve this look. This shell is typically a metal part which is stamped out in the configuration of the outer profile of the skirt. This shell is then placed over the plastic skirt and fastened by a number of different means and becomes the outer surface appearance. There are several limitations and/or disadvantages to this method. The stamping is typically limited to a very simplistic shape. Complex curves and angles of the skirt effectively limit the design of the stamping as is attributed by all the models currently available with a metal shell for a skirt. In each case, the industrial design of these shells is extremely simple. The stamped shell becomes an additional part which must be procured or fabricated and inventoried, thus increasing product cost. Tooling to fabricate the shell is also necessary and will need constant maintenance and periodic replacement; again increasing product cost. Dimensional fits between the shell and the skirt will always be a concern when you try to get two visual parts to align perfectly. Scrap and/or rework costs will increase as a result of this option. Secondary buffing operations that are necessary on some alternatives must be tightly controlled in order not to damage the coating, thus increasing scrap and costs. Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc. offers an iron for sale with a metal skirt (model F63D, The Classic Iron). In this iron the metal shell doubles as the actual skirt as well as an aesthetic, appearance item.